


Leaving for Good

by dolphinitley



Category: Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 12:10:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17100338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dolphinitley/pseuds/dolphinitley
Summary: Y/N, Arthur, and the Marstons decide to leave the gang to build their own homesteads. The story begins at Clemens Point.





	Leaving for Good

You started to wonder if you were the crazy one. Were you wasting your time? No, this was the right thing to do. What if they say no? Will you still leave? The gang’s problems get worse every day. Being associated with them will get you killed, that much is clear. Things weren’t so bad in the beginning, but it’s different for you since Arthur got kidnapped. You’ve secretly saved up quite a lot of money. Now you were the one with a plan. A plan to get out of this life. Hosea’s wrong. It is possible to leave this life for good and be happy. Your sins were not as terrible as the rest of the gang, but there was still good in those people. They could change.  
The urge to leave had been growing in you for weeks. One night hanging around the fire, you were thinking about it a lot. You left the conversation and went to sit alone by the water and hug Cain. He was such a good dog and loved to give kisses. Your mind went to a place where you and Arthur were living on your own land with a nice house and a family, including a dog. You began to tear up because you didn’t know if you could make that daydream a reality.  
After about ten minutes you heard Arthur come to you. He sat down behind you with his feet on either side of you. He put a hand on your shoulder and encouraged you to rest your back on his chest. He put his strong arms around you.  
“What’s on your mind, honey?” asked Arthur.  
“Do you appreciate how smart you are, Arthur?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Do you know how much smarter you are than these people?”  
You knew that he wouldn’t appreciate you referring to his family as less intelligent than he and as “these people.” But you couldn’t ignore the issue any longer.  
You continued, “Do you know that on each job we go on, you are pointing out more and more things that are wrong with the job? Do you notice the comments you make? Your gut is right. Things are getting worse. I know I haven’t been here long but…”  
There were a few moments of silence.  
“…I’m not going to stay much longer.”  
Tears streamed down your face.  
At this Arthur tensed up and held you tighter in his arms. He pressed the bridge of his nose against your cheek. You squeezed his forearm.  
In a low voice he said, “I need you.”  
You turned your head to him and he kissed you so sweetly, then asked you to tell him everything that’s on your mind.  
“We need to leave this life. We need to go so far away that nobody will bother looking for us. We can take John, Abagail, and Jack too. We can all be safe. I might be asking you to leave your family. I don’t know. Things are going downhill fast. Following Dutch at this point is suicide. You know it’s true. Tell me you know it’s true.”  
Arthur contemplated your words. He was upset but he knew you were right. If Jack, Abagail, and John could come too, would that be enough to clear his conscience about abandoning the gang? How could he leave Hosea and Dutch? They raised him. This life was all he’d ever known. But then you came along and showed him that he’s capable of living a better life. It’s worth living a safer life. He was getting so tired of the running and increasingly dishonorable methods of earning money. Things had never been this bad before. He could feel that the end had to be close. So why not get out now?  
“Yeah. I know it’s true, Y/N.”  
You sighed in relief and nodded your head. Arthur wiped your tears and pulled you into him. He cradled your head.  
“Don’t be mad, but I sort of have been saving up and I have enough money that I could give to some of the others to get them set up somewhere else. We could go north west to Canada or maybe even Alaska.”  
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d been planning this for so long?”  
“I didn’t know how you’d take it. I don’t even know how I’m taking it. I wish I could save them.”  
“Y/N, I may not be a good man to the world, but for you...well I want to spend my life making you happy. It might be about damn time that I get on with my own life.”  
“You deserve happiness, Arthur. You can find it. We can design our lives. I know you love Dutch and Hosea but you don’t need a mentor anymore. You’re the one who can mentor someone else now.”  
He ran fingers through your hair and whispered in your ear, “I love you so much Y/N.” He rested his temple against yours. “It’s gonna be alright. I promise. I just need a couple weeks to take care of some things, then we’ll go.” He kissed your forehead and tipped your chin up to kiss you softly, with his thumb gently rubbing your cheek.  
-  
“Do you want to split up the family?  
Go our separate ways?” Dutch asked Arthur sarcastically. He did not expect the response Arthur gave.  
“Maybe that’s what we should do. It might be the best chance for all of us to live.”  
“Is that really what you want?” Dutch was hurt.  
“Yes, it is, Dutch. I think it’s time to stop fightin’. This world don’t want us no more.”  
“Is this about...Y/N? Her ideals creeped into your head?”  
At that, Arthur tensed up. “Dutch, that woman...She’s shown me how much better life can be. I ain’t a kid no more, and I think it’s time I start my own life...my own family...somewhere safe.”  
-  
Arthur convinced John to leave. It was a tough decision for both of them. Loyalty had been the most important thing to them since Dutch took them in. But they knew it was right to go.  
-  
It was early June when they said goodbyes to everyone in camp. Y/N and Arthur were on horseback. The Marstons were in their wagon. They decided to aim for Alaskan gold and see how far they got. The only people who they told were Sadie and Charles, Y/N and Arthur’s best friends at camp. You gave them both some money to get out.  
By end of July, they had made it to Alaska after a long and tough road. It was worth it to be safe. You missed some of the gang, but were so happy and relieved to be doing whatever you and Arthur wanted to do. Even if you never found gold, Alaska was beautiful and untouched and you could hide far in the wilderness. Arthur and John found and purchased two adjacent plots of land, about 10 miles outside of town. You loaned the Marstons some money and knew they’d pay you back. You all worked very hard over the next couple of months to prepare for winter and build small cabins.  
On the chilly October day where you and Arthur’s cabin was officially finished, you went into town and found a Redbone Coonhound breeder. You got a puppy and brought her back home.  
You walked in the cabin, where Arthur was sitting on the floor polishing the furniture he built. A warm fire was crackling in the fireplace. The puppy was wrapped in a blanket.  
“Hey hun’?” you said to Arthur.  
“Hey sweetheart,” he replied with a smile. He saw the blanket and gave a puzzled look. “Whatcha got there?”  
You smiled bashfully and sat in front of Arthur. You peeled back the blanket to reveal a whimpering puppy with a wagging little tail.  
Arthur’s puppy face was activated. He reached out and you handed him the puppy.  
“Well who do we have here?” He held the puppy close to his face and she licked his nose. You were so happy to surprise him like this.  
You pulled a tiny leather collar out of your pocket and secured it around her neck. Arthur read the dog tag on the collar.  
“Penny,” he said thoughtfully and looked like he was about to tear up. He held Penny with one arm, and took your chin with his free hand and kissed you.  
“You are the most wonderful...I love you,” Arthur said to you.  
“I love you too.”  
You set up some blankets for a puppy bed and a couple of bowls with food and water. Arthur prepared your favorite dinner and insisted that you sit back and relax while he did so. When you were done eating Arthur took your hands from across the table.  
“My darlin’,” he said, beaming at you. “I had planned somethin’ for tonight,” he said with a nervous smile.  
“Well what is it hon?” you replied warmly.  
“I guess I’ll just go ahead and get on with it.” Arthur got out of his chair and got down on one knee. He got a small box out of his box and opened it to reveal and engagement ring.  
“Oh my goodness!” you gasped.  
“My love, will you do me the honor of making me the happiest and luckiest man in the world, and be my wife?”  
“Of course, you wonderful man!” You wrapped your arms around him and kissed. Then, he put the ring on your finger.


End file.
